Google expected to unveil new phones at San Francisco showcase event
ALPHABET’s Google was set to unveil new smartphones on Tuesday, the group’s latest effort to sell consumers on a Google-branded device and challenge Apple at the high end of the market.Analysts were looking to the San Francisco product launch to showcase other Google hardware, including a voice-controlled speaker system called Home to challenge Amazon.com Inc’s Echo device, and a virtual reality headset.The most eagerly expected offering is a pair of smartphones released under the Pixel brand, replacing the Nexus line. While most vendors other than Apple use Google’s Android operating system, the company has for years toyed with approaches to building its own hardware without alienating manufacturers.Google has sold Nexus phones since 2010, but the devices gained little traction in a market dominated by Samsung.Analysts attribute lacklustre sales to poor distribution, as the phones are typically not available through network carriers, the channel most US consumers rely on.Google als...
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